Sticky Boys - This Is Rock n Roll (Listenable Records)

[7.5/10] Of all places on the face of the earth to cull that no-nonsense and scorching brand of rock music – Paris, France is the place I am referring to – the Sticky Boys are a genuine rock ‘n roll band to take notice of. This trio of “hairy rockers” is ready to explode onto the music scene with pure adrenaline shooting out of their veins. They were discovered by the Donnas and Nashville Pussy in the US and after partnering with Listenable Records, the group recorded This Is Rock n Roll. The album is jam packed with energy and if I must say loaded with the swagger and attitude to take these guys to top of the heap.

Before I get into the crux of this review, let me say that the Sticky Boys obviously worship at the altar of AC/DC. At times the music is a clone of the famous Aussie rockers, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, given how this tried and true rock template inspires so many new bands these days. The songs on this release drive hard, remain loud and strive for that party rock vibe to prove these guys can hang tough with the best of them. Certainly they can keep up with a band like Airbourne who choose to emulate a similar style, but I find the Sticky Boys more infectious with their full throttle assault.

Songs like “Rock n Roll Nation” set the wheels in motion as a driving rock number to get the blood pumping hard. The vibe picks up when you get into “Bang That Head” and “Girls in the City” strips it down to the basic rock formula that made AC/DC a household name in the 70’s and 80’s. I could even sense a bit of variety bubbling to the surface on “Fat Boy Charlie” because I swear the echoes of Lemmy Kilmister’s grungy shouts come to mind. I rather enjoyed the slight homage to Motorhead, and wished there was a bit more of Lemmy’s rock swagger added to this record.

Ultimately, the Sticky Boys may not win over fans who crave their rock music a bit more wild or even mildly more entertaining, but this should appeal to people who like good time rock ‘n roll. There isn’t a bad song to be found here and the music is pretty competent overall. Once I got through my first turn with this disc, I actually found myself craving another go around and my excitement for the material grew much larger. Like I said, this is good time rock ‘n roll to bang your head to, so give the Sticky Boys a shot and the let infectious music take over. You might be surprised by these lads who hail from one of the most unlikeliest of places on the planet, and Paris, France should hold their head up proud for these boys.